Car-coupling.



No. 766,738. PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904. J. SNYDER & G. E. LYTER.

OAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. '7. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

No. 766,738- PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904 J. SNYDER & G. E. LYTER.

GAR COUPLING.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 7. 1904.

no MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

(3 1 I new lovl/ mfi c i UNITED STATES Patented August 2, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 766,738, dated August 2, 1904.

Application filed March '7, 1904.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J osEPH SNYDER and CHARLEs E. LYTER, citizens of the United States, residing at Harrisburg. in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in (Jar-Couplers; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to car-couplers of the Janney type; and it has for its object to provide a simple, durable, and easily-operated coupler of few parts so constructed and arranged as not to be liable to break or become disarranged when in use; and it consists of the parts and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 1 1, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the drawhead. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the locking-pin; Fig. 5, a detail view of the trigger-pin; Fig. 6, a detail view of the locking-pin from the side opposite that shown in Fig. l, and Fig. 7 a detail perspective view of the knuckle-tailpiece.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout all the views.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the draw-bar, B the draw-head, and C the knuckle, of our improved coupler.

The general arrangement and construction of the parts named may be similar to the wellknown type of coupler named above, except as hereinafter noted. The knuckle-tailpiece c is formed with a hook-shaped end, as at c, which is adapted to enter a slot or opening 7), formed in one of the side walls of the drawhead in rear of the hinge-pin on which the knuckle swings. The object of this construction of the knuckle-tailpiece is to provide a secure connection between the knuckle and the draw-head in the event of the breaking of the hinge-pin, the hook c in that event engaging in the slot or opening I), and thus pre- Serial No. 196,827. (No model.)

venting the knuckle being drawn out or dropping while the knuckle is in its closed position. The knuckle-tailpiece is also formed with a vertical projection d at its end, the top of which is inclined or beveled to correspond to the shape of the top of the opening in the drawhead in which the knuckle-tailpiece works. The rear face of the projection 0 conforms to the shape of the end of the tailpiece, and its front or forward faces or sides e 0 extend at an angle from each other toward the side edges of the tailpiece, the face a being adapted to engage or abut against the side of the locking-pin D in order to prevent the knuckle swinging out too far.

The upper half of the draw-head is cast with the enlarged portion 7/", through which a square vertical opening 71 is formed, at the lower end of which at one side is formed the recess 6*, Fig. 3, while in the lower half of said drawhead is formed a triangular-shaped opening 6 in line with the opening 5 The locking-pin D is formed with a square body adapted to fit in the opening If and with a triangular-shaped end portion (Z, adapted to fit within the opening 7f. At its upper end a perforated ear (Z is formed on the locking-pin in order to provide for the attachment of a chain or lever to connect it with uncouplinglever, and a flange (Z is formed below said ear [5 on the pin to limit the downward movement of the pin when it drops to lock the knuckle. In one side of the locking-pin a longitudinal groove (Z is formed, the bottom of which is somewhat irregular in shape that is to say, that it is cut out, as at (Z, in an inclining direction, so as to provide a groove with a varying depth for a purpose to be described. (See Fig. At the lower end of the body of the locking-pin at one side is formed a recess or opening (1, which extends into the groove (Z A trigger F of irregular shape and conforming at one edge to the shape of the bottom of the groove (1" is pivotally suspended in said groove, said trigger being bent or cast with the inclined or beveled portionf at its rear edge and being formed with the right-angled toe f the latter being adapted to enter the opening d, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. A trigger-pin Gr is inserted through an opening therefor formed in the enlarged portion 5 of the draw-head and is secured by a split key, and its reduced end enters the groove (Z and engages or abuts against the rear edge of the locking-pin, so that the upward movement of said locking-pin will cause the trigger F to press against the pin Gr and be thus forced toward the bottom of the groove (Z and its toe f to be pushed into the opening 6Z5 until its extreme end projects beyond the side of the locking-pin and it is in position to enter the recess 1), and thus limit the upward throw of the locking-pin when the same is raised or lifted to release the knuckle, and thus uncouple the couplers. hen the knuckle is swung out after being uncoupled or released, the end of the body of the locking-pin rests on the tailpiece and the projection o engages the side of said pin and incidentally forces the toe of the trigger back into the slot or opening (P, so that its .end is flush with the face of the locking-pin. The trigger-pin G,as clearly shown in Fig. 5, is formed with shoulders g, which rest against the edges of the groove d while its reduced and beveled end g enters said groove and is in position to engage the inclined or beveled portion of the trigger F in order to force the trigger inwardly, as above described. 7

The trigger F, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, is hung or pivotally mounted in the groove d on a pin 6, passing through the locking-pin and through an opening in the end of the trigger, so that the tendency of the trigger is to normally hang as shown in Fig. 3that is to say, wholly within the groove and with the end of the toe f in line with the front face of the locking-pin and to gravitate or swing into such position when permitted so to do by the pin G. i

The knuckle may be released by any of the usual devices for lifting the locking-pin, and in the event of the locking-pin being frozen or its easy movement retarded for other reasons a smart blow on the triangular end thereof will quickly release it.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A car-coupler comprising a draw-head, a knuckle, a vertically-movable locking-pin,

a trigger for engaging the draw-head, and

means for operating the trigger when the locking-pin is lifted in order to limit the upward movement of the locking-pin to its unlocking position.

2. A car-coupler comprising a draw-head, a knuckle pivotally mounted therein and having a tailpiece provided with a vertical projection, a vertically-movable locking-pin, a trigger for limiting the upward movement of said locking-pin, and a trigger-pin for operating said trigger.

3. A car-coupler comprising a draw-head having a square vertical opening for the locking-pin, and a recess adjacent said opening, a horizontally 'swinging knuckle having a vertical projection on its tailpiece, a verticallymovable locking-pin having a longitudinal groove formed therein and an opening at the lower end of said groove, a trigger having a rightangled toe suspended in said groove, and means for swinging said trigger in said groove when the locking-pin is raised.

4. A car-coupler comprising a draw-head, a knuckle, a vertically-movable locking-pin, a trigger carried by said pin, a fixed pin for operating said trigger to cause it to engage the draw-head to limit the upward movement of said locking-pin to its unlocking position.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH SNYDER. CHAS. E. LYTER.

Witnesses:

IRVIN B. ROLLER, D. L. Hnss. 

